Esper vs Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access

Esper is a device management system for company-owned hardware such as kiosks, point-of-sale systems, barcode scanners and signage. Esper Deploy lets teams define apps, settings, operating system configuration and security posture, then keep a fleet aligned with that desired state. Esper says its agent can ship in a device image so devices enroll and configure themselves at first boot, typically in under five minutes. Deploy supports Android, iOS/iPadOS/tvOS, Windows and Linux. Esper Foundation is a custom Android OS that Esper says it builds, patches and supports through the device lifecycle. Esper Airwave manages Android firmware updates with staged rollouts and automatic rollback, and can work with any MDM or none. REST APIs support device control and monitoring, including app installation, updates, file transfers and bulk actions. Application distribution includes Android APKs, iOS IPAs, Google Play apps and Apple Business Manager assignments. Plans start at $2 per device/month, and all plans have a 25-device minimum. Esper offers a 30-day trial but no free plan.

Ivanti Neurons for Zero Trust Access controls access to corporate applications using user and device context. It continuously checks identity and device health, then grants least-privilege access to authorized resources. Device policies can evaluate antivirus, firewall, location, disk encryption, operating-system version, missing patches, and other conditions. The service can score risk from running processes and applications, quarantine unpatched devices running high-risk applications, and respond with step-up authentication or access restrictions. Organizations can publish on-premises applications, web pages, network locations, and SaaS resources such as Microsoft O365 and Salesforce. Its software-defined perimeter separates control and data planes; application traffic passes through a gateway deployed in an organization’s datacenter or virtual private cloud. The Controller authorizes gateways before endpoints can connect. Authentication options include local authentication, SAML, and TOTP. Centralized management provides visibility into application access, users, devices, and activity. Pricing is on request. It is positioned for organizations securing access for employees, contractors, and partners.